Broken Antler Fen do not underestimate the sun
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Ooc — aerinne
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#1
Limit Two 
hello! she is not near the border, just a little further than she should be from the rendezvous site.

Three moons had come and gone since Diantha had been forced into the world. You better believe that she had not signed up for this. Whatever stupid mother of hers had decided to waltz out of this world not long after bringing her into it, something Dia thought was very unfair. She continued to hold her mother responsible for her own death, no matter how many times she was told it wasn't her fault. She had been a terrible mother to go and die like that.

It was not that Maia and Eljay had been bad parents, but Diantha was not having any of their calming techniques or therapy sessions. Whenever they tried to talk to her, she would clam up or go the opposite direction and yell at them. Tell them that they were awful and stupid and they were somehow responsible for her mother's death.

To put it bluntly, Diantha was not a fun wolf to be around.

... Unless she was getting into trouble.

Right now, that was exactly what she was doing.

She knew she should not be wandering so far from the rendezvous site, and that was exactly why she was doing it. Maybe they would not notice her disappearance. It was not as though they cared that much about her. Maia and Eljay had their other kids to worry about. They were not her real parents. In fact, Dia was under the impression that her dad was out there somewhere and he was a real awesome dude. All she had to do was track him down, explain what her mother had done, and he would save the day.

Of course, she did not realize that he had no idea of her existence.
Brecheliant
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a hundred mini dreams and a healing scar ♥
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Ooc — Iris
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#2
Roswell and Jasmine seemed to take the death of their mother in stride at least somewhat; they didn't show too big outwardly burst-outs and while Eljay worried for how it might boomerang back to them in the future, he also felt blessed that Diantha was the only one who was really acting out. Eljay really wished he could show her that he loved her just like he loved Sylvie and Hymnal. He thought wistfully about Owen, who'd been his first 'sort of' kid; being a pupsitter, Eljay'd always had a special bond with all pups in the packs he had been a part of. Of course it was different between Elfie and Weejay and the other pups at the Copse, but in this case the children had no parents left and Eljay wanted to show them that he and Maia meant it when they said they'd be their parents from now on. He wanted to make them feel just as loved as Sylvie and Hymnal. A lot was going on right now, but somehow everyone else struggling even more made Eljay a solid rock in the storm that they were all a part of right now.

When Eljay noticed that Diantha was missing, he started heading out and tracked her scent. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary, so he tried to quell his worries with the thought that she'd be back, but still Eljay couldn't help but go and find her. He could not help but think of Elfie and how he had dealt with the loss of his mother. Eljay liked to think he could do better this time, but when Diantha came into view, he realised that perhaps this wasn't something that one could learn. At the very least he could work hard to not suffocate her or forbid her things like he had with Elfie.

So instead of telling her to head back to the rendezvous site, Eljay just smiled at Diantha as she came into view. Hey there sweetie, he called out to her. She probably didn't like being called that, but he wanted to show her that he loved her, too. What are you up to? There was nothing in his voice to say that he knew that she knew that she was being naughty and too far from the rendezvous site. Instead he just smiled at her and waited for her response; he knew that berating her would only chase her away like he had chased Elfie away.
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Ooc — aerinne
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#3
She recoiled at the pet name. Don't call me that, she replied immediately in a deadpan voice. Diantha absolutely loathed the way Eljay would say things like that. She was nobody's "sweetie."

And I'm not doing anything. Just walking around. Minding my own business. She said the last statement with a heavy eye on her guardian thinking, "Maybe you should give it a shot, fake dad."

Why? What do you want?
Brecheliant
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a hundred mini dreams and a healing scar ♥
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#4
Eljay frowned when Diantha demanded that he didn't call her 'sweetie'. It didn't surprise him very much, but it still hurt. He wanted nothing more than to welcome Diantha into the arms of his family, and he wished that he could show her just how much he loved her. He opened his mouth to ask her why she minded him calling her that, when she interrupted by answering his question. He put a smile back to his face as she said she was minding her own business and shot him a pointed glance; he wouldn't give in to the sadness. One of them being sad was already too much, anyway.

After her question, he said, I thought maybe you wanted some company. It's not much fun to be alone as a wolf, without the pack. After a brief pause he asked, What would you like me to call you? He'd considered asking her why she minded 'sweetie' but instead of going into semantics, Eljay decided in the end to simply ask her what she wanted him to call her, then.
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#5
Diantha rolled her eyes. She didn't even want company, but she had a feeling she couldn't get rid of him that easily, and she didn't have the energy to fight it right now. She didn't reject his company outright, but instead decided to be as bored about it as possible.

My name is Diantha, she said. Why couldn't he just call her that? Why did she have to be "little one" or "sweetie" or "kiddo" or anything like that, anyway?
Brecheliant
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a hundred mini dreams and a healing scar ♥
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#6
Diantha said that her name was Diantha, implying that was therefore what she wanted to be called. Eljay was silent for a few seconds and then he said, Okay. If I call you Diantha, do you promise you won't forget that I think you're sweet? Eljay smiled secretively at Diantha, hoping that the implications of what he said weren't lost on her. Then again, they probably would be; but perhaps they could cling in her subconscious, at least, so that perhaps she could remember that Eljay and Maia cared a great deal about her, no matter what, and she would always be a 'sweetie' in his book even if he wouldn't say it out loud. And anyway, Eljay did want to call her what she preferred, no matter how sweetly the nicknames were meant.
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#7
She made a "yuck" face at him, but Diantha didn't (verbally) protest further. Diantha wasn't sure how she could be considered "sweet" anyway. If she was so sweet, why had both of her parents left her? If she was so sweet, why did she always feel so sour? She didn't know, and she din't care. She just wanted to be left alone.

Diantha kicked at a stone, sending it flying in the other direction. Now what was she supposed to do?
Brecheliant
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a hundred mini dreams and a healing scar ♥
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#8
Her response was as expected, even though Eljay had hoped for better. He didn't give up, though. Instead, Eljay asked, What kind of things do you like to do for fun? He was determined to find something that she'd enjoy. Something they could do together that she might start at moping, but would hopefully end up enjoying at the very end of it, even if she would never admit it.
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#9
"What kind of things do you like to do for fun?" Why oh why were Eljay and Maia like this? Diantha swore that her real parents were nothing like them. Instead, they were far more interesting. They asked questions she actually wanted to answer. They would treat her more like an adult and less like a child. They wouldn't insist on inserting themselves in what seemed like every waking moment of her life.

I like to be by myself, she replied, feeling quite proud of herself for coming up with that answer. If Eljay insisted on bothering her, she wasn't going to make his life easy.
Brecheliant
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a hundred mini dreams and a healing scar ♥
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#10
Diantha insisted that she liked to be on her own for fun. Well, that much was clear to Eljay, even though he didn't think she wanted to be on her own for fun, but rather because, well, life was difficult. Maybe she was afraid to lose Eljay and Maia and her siblings, too, and that's why she was so distant. It was hard to tell.

He didn't give up. What kind of things do you do when you're by yourself? he asked instead, hoping to get some information out of her at least. He couldn't imagine that all Diantha did when she was alone was sit around moping.